You Can't Not Have One
by GoofyGal2008
Summary: Everyone has one - it would be impossible not to. Each one is different, but ask anyone and they'll tell you that you can't not have one. A multi-installment look at the days that mark our favorite characters' lives - features all the main characters.


**A/N:** I know, the muse has gone crazy, with all sorts of story ideas spilling out these days. This one is a little different than what I usually post - it isn't a one-shot, but it's not exactly a multi-chapter either. More like a collection of one-shots that are all connected, I guess. The installments will be in chronological order, all in the space of one year. Why, you ask? Well, the idea for this collection, and the basic connection between each installment, is that every year, no matter who you are or what has happened to you, everyone has a birthday. So, these are the stories of our favorite characters' special days throughout the coming year. I have no idea if we know the actual birthdays for any of the characters - if anyone knows, please let me know! If not, I'm just going to put them whenever I darn well please ;)

The installments will be somewhat sporadic, as I'm mostly using this a chance to give the muse a little diversion while I sort out ideas that are spinning in a thousand different directions for my multi-chapter stories. I haven't firmly established the 'ships for this, but knowing how I operate, you can count on at least some D/L and Fiesta.

**Disclaimer:** As always, I own none of the recognizable characters. I claim no rights to them and I make absolutely no money off of them.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, on with the story...

* * *

Lindsay Monroe sighed as she pulled her jacket a little closer, slowly trudging her way down the icy New York City sidewalk, concentrating as fully as her sleep-clouded mind would allow. She never understood how New Yorkers managed to rush up and down these sidewalks without killing themselves, especially with fresh January snow on the ground. At least in Montana, the dirt underneath the snow would have provided her feet with a little traction, but in the concrete jungle that was New York City, she had no such luxury.

As she rounded the last corner and headed down the block toward the New York Crime Lab, Lindsay silently congratulated herself on having survived yet another walk from the subway to the lab. Even as she contemplated how pathetic it was that this was her cause for celebration on today of all days, she knew that these days, she had to take her victories where she could find them.

Sighing, she let her hand rest absentmindedly on her belly, walking up the steps to the lab and mentally bracing herself for another day of desk duty. She'd fought Mac on the issue, arguing that five months was far too early to take her off the streets, but he was insistent. The orders came from higher up, he'd told her, something about departmental policy and that it would be required of any expectant female employee. And so for the past two weeks, she'd run labs, taken fingerprints, written reports and been absolutely bored out of her mind. Add to it the fact that she could no longer enjoy a cup of coffee to wake herself up in the mornings, and Lindsay had the distinct impression that she was going to sleepwalking through the next four months.

* * *

"You plannin' on answering that phone anytime soon, Montana?" Danny asked as he walked into the lab to find Lindsay peering at a microscope, her cell phone ringing again in her back pocket.

"No," Lindsay said, not bothering to look up from her work.

"Could be important," Danny said.

"It's not," Lindsay insisted.

"What, you a psychic now?" Danny teased.

"Adam programmed my ringtones last week," Lindsay said. "I think he was trying to make me feel better about being stuck in the lab or something."

"So who you ignorin'?" Danny asked.

"My sister," Lindsay said, finally pulling her specimen slide from the microscope and looking up at Danny. "Or maybe one of my brothers…I think Adam gave them all the same ringtone, actually. Either way, I don't want to talk to them. They've been calling all day."

"How come?" Danny asked curiously.

"You really have to ask?" Lindsay asked, her voice sounding almost hurt by his lack of knowledge.

"Should I not have to?" Danny asked innocently. "Am I supposed to know somethin'?"

"You honestly can't think of a single reason that my family would be calling me today?" Lindsay asked. This time Danny was absolutely certain it was hurt that he heard in her tone.

"No," Danny said innocently. "Are you going to tell me?"

"If you can't remember, then obviously it's none of your business," Lindsay snapped, quickly gathering her things from the table. "I've got to get these results to Stella."

Danny sighed as he watched her walk out of the lab. She was definitely moodier than usual that afternoon, and he had a sneaking suspicion that this time, it had nothing to do with being stuck inside the lab all day. He just hoped he wasn't going to make it any worse with what he had planned.

* * *

Lindsay groaned as she leaned back in her chair, slowly massaging the small of her back as she tried to relieve some of the tension that had been building all day. Although she'd heard that some women loved the feeling of being pregnant, she was willing to bet just about anything that most of those women weren't working full-time jobs at the same time.

Opening her desk drawer to grab one of the snacks she'd starting stashing there, she paused in confusion as she stared at the small pink box sitting atop her stash of Milky Ways and Snickers bars. Pulling it out, she smiled as she saw a card stuck to the side underneath a label from one of her favorite bakeries.

Quickly pulling the lid off the box, she frowned at the odd assortment of small cookies it contained. Tearing the card from the side of the box, she ripped it open, hoping to find some explanation.

_Montana,_

_I know you hate cake. I know you love puzzles. You didn't really think that I could forget today, did you?_

_Love,_

_Danny_

Shaking her head, Lindsay carefully pulled the cookies out one by one, placing the small, alphabet-shaped pieces on her desk. Making a few quick adjustments to their order, she couldn't help but smile at the message that stared back at her.

_Happy birthday, indeed_, Lindsay thought to herself, quickly devouring the first part of the message as she smiled contentedly.


End file.
